Huh, I've harvested Rose, Wonder Light, Eva Purple Ball and Japanese Black Trifele from my tainers in the last week. I got very limited production because I started so late, run such high temps, and keep them in a lot of shade with misters going in the late afternoon. All four tomatoes exceeded my expectations for taste. In fact, I just stared at the JBT around midnight wondering if it was the best I've had. The only other ripe one got butchered for it's seed. I want a bunch of these. I couldn't taste Great White and wished I couldn't taste Green Zebra, but I sort of expected that after what I'd read about both.

Now I have a new experiment for next year. Same variety, some location, one in a tainer and one in the soil. Thanks.

whipsnade,

Sorry to hear you are having a disappointing year. Even with my Summer crop winding down now, and I've started most of the 'Tainers with their Fall crops, I am pleased with both production and taste.

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But, I am ever on the quest to try to replicate in-ground growing characteristics as closely as possible, and my goal is to find a combination of Potting Mix, plus other supplements that will come as close to an in-ground experience as possible. BTW, my EarthBox had the same "Wet" conditions with straight Miracle-Gro potting mix too, so it's not the design of the EarthTainer:

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To that end, some potting mixes like Miracle-Gro actually do too good a job at wicking!! Never thought that would be the case in a 12 inch deep SWC, but I too saw a higher reading on my Moisture Meter during the growing season that I would like.

So, borrowing a page out of the vineyards up in Napa, I actually want to find a growing media for the EarthTainer that kind of starves the plant for moisture as fruit is setting and the plants are in full growth mode. Reducing moisture availability to grape vines later in the season actually produces a more vibrant grape. Same thing ought to apply to tomatoes.

There is expert information on the GW Containers Forum, and from that information, I am trialing several combo-mixes presently in my Fall plantings. The one that looks most promising so far is a blend of a ratio 5:1:1 Sta-Green Potting Mix, Turface, and Perlite. All of these are readily available nationwide:

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I am experimenting with slightly different ratios (the one on the right is a 4:1:1 ratio):

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My goal is to actually try to "starve" a plant, then back off just a bit on the ratio and with that, I should replicate as close as possible, an in-ground environment.

Of course, the results won't be known until I get a full crop cycle in October, but by then, I will have some more optimized growing media recommendations for SWC applications. Have faith!!

Raybo

Fwiw, my tainers were filled with 2/3rds Miracle Grows Organic Mix, 1/6th pumice and a 1/6th composted horse manure and sand mixture. I didn't want to buy more of the bags and mixed the pumice and compost myself from free sources. Pumice breathes and drains more aggressively than perlite, Raybo. It'snot as popular in hydroponics, but I know some who like it better. Something to consider if you wish to "torture the vine" vineyard style.

bob,

Thanks for the input on pumice. One of the trials I am doing is using a Cactus Mix along with Sta-Green. The Cactus Mix has a good ratio of pumice, although I am a bit concerned about the sand component in the mix. That's why trials are fun!!!

Raybo

This discussion really hit home for me. I am getting ready to start several tomatoes for a under lights "winter crop" . My last years trials ran a bit on the wet side with straight MG. To keep it simple I will be using MG or store brand potting mix. But I want to dry it out a bit too. Sounds like the easiest for me would be to add a bit of perlite, since the local store carries it. About 10 or 20 percent sound OK to the rest of you?
KennyP

Kenny,

I don't know your container dimensions nor wicking setup, but "diluting" the Miracle-Gro potting mix with 15% to 20% Perlite will be a good thing. Additionally, you *may* want to do a third ingredient (Turface) to further control moisture wicking in a 5:1:1 ratio as I describer above.

Anyway, stay tuned here for updates on my trials.

Raybo

I put about 15-20% perlite in my earthboxes using Miracle grow organic as a base. Wicking has been great. Never dried out but then again we had very mild weather this year. I don't fill my boxes on Saturdays because I'm out of town. May have a problem one week by the end of August because they just started taking more water because I'm finally getting tomatoes.

Thanks Raybo for your continual help. I was actually thinking like whipsnade to top water after the plant had a certain amount of fruit set. I guess the secret it not to let feed when it wants to but when we want it to or when it needs it.

My other idea was to bury a soaker hose or run a really slow drip line.

johnny,

I think it has more to do with the composition of the growing media re: its wicking properties, rather than the supply rate from a buried hose or drip irrigation. That is why trying to modulate the size of the wicking orifice to "throttle" the water flow is a difficult task. Instead, I think it better find the right mix ingredients to wick to a "moist" and not "wet" water content.

Raybo

• "although I am a bit concerned about the sand component in the mix."

I know you were referring to the cactus mix and I'd guess it's pretty sandy, but I've read other negatives about sand in the mix and thought I'd made a mistake. My mix seems to be working very nicely in high temps as far as keeping things moist but not wet. I am about 10% sand. It's rather coarse sand which drains better than fine sand, but it's still sand. What's the negative with sand?